2012-2013 Retirees Honored

Congratulations to all of Lehigh's retirees from the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Those in attendance at the Lehigh Appreciation Dinner are pictured below.

Michael G. Baylor

History

Michael Baylor earned his doctorate degree in History and the Humanities from Stanford University, and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in History from Stanford University and Knox College. Among Mike’s publications are five books, and a sixth, Religion and Revolution in the Making of Early Modern Europe, is in progress for publication by Routledge. His research focus is early modern Germany. Mike received the Alumni Achievement Award from Knox College in 1993. He served as co-director and faculty member for ten summers in Leuven, Belgium as part of Lehigh in Belgium summer study abroad program.

Ellen A. Behr Gold Plus/ID Office Ellen Behr retired after 22 years of service in a variety of departments, including the ID Office/Gold Plus, Centennial School, Bookstore, and Bursar’s Office. Ellen was a member of the Professional Development Committee and a graduate of Learning The Institution. She says that the past 22 years at Lehigh University were very rewarding as she enjoyed associating with the wonderful, gifted children, staff and faculty she encountered. Since retiring, Ellen has joined a health club and is working out with her husband. She hopes to return to Europe and California in the near future.

Philip A. Blythe Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics Philip Blythe earned his doctorate degree in the Mechanics of Fluids, and his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Manchester. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Philip’s research focus included heat transfer, materials processing, coating flows, non-linear dynamics and stability, non-equilibrium gas dynamics, and thermal ignition. At Lehigh since 1968, Philip served as the associate dean of graduate studies in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, and as head of the Division of Engineering Mathematics within MEM. He was recipient of the Waldenrath Outstanding Advisor Award (twice), the Deming Lewis Alumni Award, the Spira Teaching Award, the Pi Tau Sigma Award, and the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Virginia M. DeBias

Student Life

Ginger DeBias retired as assistant director of student activities after 30 years of service to Lehigh. Her supervisor, Matthew Kitchie, says her contributions were significant. “Some longstanding programs that Ginger has invested time in include the Outdoor Adventure Program, Late Night Lehigh at Lamberton, and the Friday Make and Take series.” Ginger invested time in her student workers, and her impact on their personal and professional growth was evident. Matt says her upbeat attitude will be missed. “Every time Ginger entered the room she had a smile on her face that put everyone at ease.” Ginger and her husband, Bob, will be traveling and spending time with their family, including four grandchildren.

Richard A. DeKeukelaere Facilities Services Rich DeKeukelaere retired from his position as assistant director of Facilities Services after 21 years of service to Lehigh. Even after work, Rich could frequently be seen in the audience at Lehigh’s arts and athletics events. His supervisor, Don Pasda, notes, “Rich demonstrated every day in his work behavior his dedication to the university and its physical plant. He was always calm and collected, whatever the situation or crisis.” Since retiring, Rich has moved to South Carolina to be close to his daughter and grandkids (and the golf course).

Carl J. Ebert Facilities Services Carl retired after more than 10 years of service to Lehigh, all of them as a boiler operator in the Facilities Services Department. Gary Falasca, Director of Facilities Services notes, “Carl was a dependable boiler operator at the Mountaintop Campus Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant for 10½ years, working swing shifts and holidays. He took pride in the appearance of the plant and worked hard to promote a clean and safe environment.”

Kim D. Edwards

Small Business Development Center

Kim is retiring after fifteen years of service. He was the Financing Assistance Program Director in the Small Business Development Center. In addition to his regular duties, Kim served as a guest lecturer for Professors Graham Mitchell and Todd Watkins entrepreneurship classes on the topic of conventional financing. For fifteen years, he also assisted Professors Karen Collins and Anne Anderson with coordinating the involvement of Lehigh Valley bankers in the Banker’s Day Program. In retirement, Kim is planning to continue his full roster of volunteer and board activities for various area non-profits including Valley Housing Development Corporation and Artsquest.

Natalie M. Foster

Chemistry

Natalie Foster earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in Chemistry from Lehigh University, and her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Muhlenberg College. Prior to her serving as associate professor of Chemistry at Lehigh, Natalie was an adjunct assistant professor of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, and an assistant professor of Chemistry at Cedar Crest College. She was the 2008 recipient of Lehigh’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Her research interests include interactions between small molecules and macromolecules; relaxation in MNR; contrast enhancement agents for MRI; relaxation enhancement in solutions of polymers and gels; and template assisted conformational change. She has co-authored three books, the most recent is Chemistry: The Science in Context, and has two books scheduled for release in 2014.

Judy L. Frenick Computer Science & Engineering Judy Frenick served as an exceptional staff member of the Computer Science and Engineering Department from the establishment of the department in 2001 until her retirement in 2012. Prior to 2001, Judy was employed as the academic coordinator in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department beginning in 1985. Judy will always be remembered for her dedication to Lehigh, her attention to detail, and her efforts to help students and faculty overcome any problems they might have encountered.

Donna Goldfeder Career Services Donna Goldfeder, Director of Career Services, is retiring after 23 years of service to Lehigh. She began her career at Lehigh while earning her MEd, working as a counselor in the Phobia Program in the Psychology Department. While she knows that the data demonstrates her work touched thousands of students, she remembers each as individuals with whom she developed treasured relationships. Donna enjoyed many Zoellner Arts Center events, and she plans to continue attending programs in retirement. She has also made a vow to get daily exercise and to cook and eat healthier. She’s looking forward to spending much more time outside.

Michelle M. HartungPrinting & Mailing Services Michelle Hartung retired after 16 years of service in Printing and Mailing Services, but that’s only half the story. These days, she can be found working for the service provider that now runs the Mail At Campus Square. Michelle’s colleagues in her department praise her “Get it done” attitude, which her former supervisor, Glenn Strause, says she still comes to work with in her new role. Glenn wrote, “She always put the customers first and stayed on top of the needs of the employees to maintain the level of services provided, sometimes badgering for days until I gave in (in a nice way, of course!).”

Brian D. Hearn Enterprise Systems Center Brian Hearn retired after 43 years of service including positions in Enterprise Systems Implementation and the Computing Center. His supervisor, Tom Smull, wrote, “A difficult software problem would come up. We’d assign it to Brian to solve, at which point he would say something like ‘I don’t know – this looks pretty hopeless’. Two hours later, he’d come back and say ‘I got it working.’ That sort of thing happened many, many times. We really miss his tenacious ability to figure out how to get complicated software to work in our environment.” Brian now plays golf regularly with several other Lehigh retirees and enjoys hiking the region’s many trails.

Jean M. Johnson

Library & Technology Services

Jean Johnson is retired in May as Team Leader/College of Education Librarian after 29 years in LTS. She volunteered for the Great South Side Sale and was supportive of the international students who come to Lehigh from far and wide. She received a Tradition of Excellence Award after being nominated by a graduate student who faced serious illness and was certain she would not have completed her degree without Jean’s help. Her supervisor, Christine Roysdon, writes, “Jean is a patient and thorough researcher who understands the needs of libraries and our clients. Her intelligence, spirit of curiosity, professional dedication, and welcoming nature will be missed.”

Kathy Katcher

Wilbur Powerhouse

Kathy Katcher retired from Wilbur Powerhouse after 25 years of service at Lehigh. She also worked in the Integrated Product Development program. Kathy recently served on ERAC and was a member of the Parking Ticket review committee. Brian Slocum notes that “Kathy’s calming effect and great attitude will be greatly missed. She always kept a great perspective and was always so incredibly positive. This, by far, will be the thing that is missed most about Kathy. That, and the fact that she seemingly knew EVERYONE at Lehigh!” After enjoying some “much needed downtime,” Kathy plans to enjoy a trip to Italy in the near future.

Edwin J. Kay

Computer Science & Engineering

Edwin Kay earned doctorate degrees in Mathematics and Experimental Psychology from Lehigh University, his master’s degree in Mathematics from Lehigh, and his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. While at Lehigh, Ed served as professor, associate professor, associate chair, and interim chair to the Computer Science and Business Program. Ed also served as a Fulbright visiting scholar at Ashesi University College in Accra Ghana, in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Buea in Cameroon as part of his volunteer Peace Corps assignment, and later as a Rotary scholar. In addition to his many publications, Ed is the co-author of The Universal Computer: Introducing Computer Science with Multimedia.

Linda G. Lawson Parking Services Linda Lawson is enjoying retirement after 15 years of service to Lehigh in Parking Services. Sharon Field notes that her office will miss Linda’s genuine concern for her co-workers. She also notes that “Monday morning was not complete unless Linda announced her bingo winnings from the weekend.” Linda is now hard at work renovating her home with her husband. She’s also looking forward to her annual shore vacation with the family and more travel in the months and years to come.

Edward K. Levy

Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics

Edward Levy earned his doctorate and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Ed joined Lehigh’s faculty in 1967, served as the director of the Energy Research Center, and was the recipient of Lehigh’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1972. His research included the fundamental fluid mechanics and heat transfer phenomena; techniques for process optimization of large coal-fired power plants; emissions control from coal-fired boilers and power plant efficiency improvements. Ed has published extensively, and holds nine U.S. patents. His retirement plans include continued participation in energy research, traveling extensively with his wife, Ursla, and spending time with grandchildren. The Levys plan to live in Bethlehem after retirement.

Mary Ann Lewis Admissions After 17 years in admissions, Mary Ann Lewis retired as a senior data entry operator. Mary Ann was active as a volunteer on campus, serving as a greeter at open houses and helping the registration desk during events. Her supervisor, Leon Washington, praised her for taking on the challenge of learning new software, noting, “She was often the team leader and took on that role in new projects and could always be counted on for her patience and support.” Mary Ann reports that she’s enjoying spending time with her new grandson and tending her garden, which earned her the reputation as the Martha Stewart of Admissions.

William ‘Dave’ Margeson

Parking Services

Dave Margeson retired after 11 years of service as a parking enforcement worker in Parking Services. When not patrolling for parking infractions, he could often be found attending Lehigh’s wrestling matches. Dave’s conscientious work style was readily apparent the day he accidentally stepped into a washed-out storm drain on campus. After escaping the hole, he stayed at the site until facilities could secure the area, thus keeping students and others from injury. Dave’s retirement plans include gardening, disc golf, multiple trips to Gettsyburg and delving into Lenape history.

Alastair D. McAulay

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Alastair McAulay earned his doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Sciences from Cambridge University. While at Lehigh, Alastair performed work and research for private industry, government, and the military, and he was the recipient of the Chandler Weaver Distinguished Professor award. Alastair has presented his work throughout the U.S. He is the author of two books, and holds five U.S. patents.

Dolores F. Meixell Registrar’s Office Dottie Meixell worked in the Registrar’s Office for 29 years. Dottie was extremely dedicated to the university in her service and work ethic. She took tremendous pride in her work and always completed tasks with perfection, even on her last day at Lehigh. Dottie never avoided a challenge and would explore every avenue and option to solve problems and help someone. The entire staff of the Registrar’s Office considers her a great friend. We will greatly miss her kindness and wonderful sense of humor. She is looking forward to enjoying life with her husband, Ron, spending time visiting her children and grand-pets in Maryland, and golfing.

Rajan M. Menon International Relations Rajan Menon retired to chair the International Relations department at the City College of New York City/CUNY. He earned his doctorate degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign, his master’s degree in International Relations from Lehigh University, and his bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College. While at Lehigh, Raj served as professor, department chair, and interim chair. Among his many grants, awards and fellowships, he was named as a Carnegie Scholar. He was also the recipient of Lehigh’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the Libsch Research Award. His research focus is on humanitarian intervention and on the ethical dimensions of international relations. He is the author and editor of several books, most recently The End of Alliances, and his next project is Hubris: The Anatomy of Military Disasters. He has been interviewed on several national and international television and radio broadcasts, and blogs regularly at the Huffington Post.

Alfred C. Miller Center for Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology After 24 years, Al Miller retired as principal research scientist in the Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. Al’s supervisor, Himanshu Jain, says that Al’s impact was felt beyond Lehigh. “Al’s willingness to help and provide technical assistance to researchers from all over the world has made a strong impact on their careers.” Whether a visiting researcher from Ukraine or a Lehigh professor, Al could find solutions to technical challenges for all of them. Himanshu adds, “Al is a walking encyclopedia of XPS results….we will miss this ever-ready resource.” In retirement, Al is spending more time on one of his favorite hobbies – dog agility training – and traveling to dog shows.

Don W. Miller Printing & Mailing Services Don Miller retired after 18 years in Printing & Mailing Services, where he was a prepress technician. Glenn Strause notes that Don was a quiet but passionate worker. “His commitment to quality was evident in the work he turned out, meticulous in every way, even the wrapping, and customers noticed.” He remembers that soft-spoken Don once surprised them all at a training. “After a breakout, Don reported back to the team – what a performance! He delivered a high-energy animated speech that totally blew everyone’s mind.” Don is spending time with his grandchild and Glenn hopes he’s finally riding the motorcycle he bought a few years ago.

Bruce E. Moon International Relations Bruce Moon earned his doctorate degree in International System and Process and Comparative Foreign Policy from Ohio State University, where he also earned his B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Economics. Before joining Lehigh’s faculty, Bruce served as an assistant professor of Political Science at Northwestern University. His research focus has been on global poverty, which has motivated him to undertake international social entrepreneurship, especially sustainable development projects with NGOs in poor countries. In addition to his many publications, Bruce is presently working on a book project titled The Dangers of Deficits and he continues development work through his own non-profit NGO.

Roger N. Nagel

Computer Science & Engineering

Roger Nagel earned his doctorate degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, his master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, and his bachelor’s degree in General Science and Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. Roger created and led Lehigh’s Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry, served as the executive director of the Iacocca Institute, and served as a senior executive in industry and government. The author of three books, Roger speaks around the globe about the future of social computing in global competition, and the future of digitization strategies in the presence of ubiquitous information and network-based competition. Retiring to Boynton Beach, Florida, he plans to play golf, attend classes at FAU, perform his research, and to be a consultant.

Anthony P. O’BrienEconomics Anthony O’Brien’s research interests include the economic history of African Americans, the international economy during the interwar years, and the historical development of nominal wage rigidity. His research has been published in the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking, the Journal of Economic History, and elsewhere. Anthony has received grants from the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Economic History Association, the Government of Canada, and the National Science Foundation. As a graduate student, he was a Flood Fellow. At Lehigh, he was a Dana Faculty Fellow, Class of 1961 Professor, and was awarded the Lehigh University Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1990.

James Perez Parking Services Jimmy Perez retired after 15 years in the Parking Services office. Sharon Field says Jimmy “was our eyes out in the field. He could spot a stolen permit from the other end of campus. We knew if you needed to find anything, Jim Perez was your man. We miss his quiet personality. He always gave you a feeling of ease and comfort.” In retirement, Jimmy is spending time with his wife and grandchildren. Although he’s not taking up a new hobby, Sharon reports “He has promised himself quality time with the Phillies this season.”

Timothy D. Reynolds

Printing & Mailing Services

Tim Reynolds was a messenger in Printing & Mailing Services. He retired after 13 years of service. His supervisor, Glenn Strause, notes “Tim came to work every day ready, I would always say to him ‘slow down,’ but he would respond ‘if I don’t do it now there will be twice as much tomorrow!’ Tim always delivered and presented himself with a smile to our customers, which he knew was very important to the department.” An avid cyclist, Tim has taken many road trips on his Harley, and he plans to continue that tradition, traveling the country and visiting his daughter.

Theresa A. Ruhf

Library & Technology Services

Theresa Ruhf retired after 37 years of service in the libraries of Lehigh. Her supervisor, Mark Canney, writes, “Terry was always pleasant to be around and was always the first to offer extra assistance. She is a great cook and baker and loved to share her Italian specialties. She also loved to whistle and sing Italian opera.” Some of the students under Terry’s supervision called her “gramma.” She took special care of international students and included them in her extended family. Terry is now enjoying spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Philip G. Schaffer Library & Technology Services Phil Schaffer retired as a computer operator in LTS Technology Management after 15 years of service. Phil’s supervisor, Lori Carroll, says he had great attention to detail. “He never missed a trick!” she said. “We could always count on him to perform any task as needed without question. He kept us on our toes to stay one step ahead of him.” In retirement, Phil is traveling, bicycling, and enjoying life. Lori says also he’s tackling home improvements and “all the things he didn’t have time for when he was working.”

Kathleen C. SmithAccountingKathy Smith was the coordinator in the Accounting department prior to her retirement. She worked at Lehigh for 39 years. Her supervisor, Parveen Gupta, notes that she was a calming presence in the office. “Even in the presence of irate students, parents, and others, she would not lose her cool and continue to listen to them to better help them.” Parveen says her dedication and commitment to serving the needs of accounting students was evident. “She went out of her way to help any student who walked up to her for help.” Kathy is helping to care for family members and eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new grandchild.

Walter W. TrimbleJournalism & CommunicationWalter Trimble earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology and his master’s degree in journalism/photography from the Ohio State University. He also attended the Universidad de Las Americas in Mexico City, as well as Kent State University. While at Lehigh, Wally served as department chair for nine years and was advisor to the student newspaper, the Brown and White, for 35 years. In addition, Wally has been an editor, wire editor, edition editor, financial page editor, and special project editor at the Morning Call. His research interests include computer software in journalism education, having developed role-playing computer programs that simulate the pressures of reporting under deadline.

Eric VarleyMechanical Engineering & MechanicsEric Varley earned his doctorate in Applied Mathematics from Brown University, and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Applied Mathematics in Manchester, England. Prior to coming to Lehigh, Eric served as a professor and chairman of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Southampton, and professor at Nottingham.

Margaret I. Weber Career Services After 35 years of service, Margaret Weber retired from the Career Services Office this year. Her supervisor, Donna Goldfeder, says, “Marge has a great sense of humor, and there was never a day when she didn’t laugh with her co-workers. It’s a credit to her that people who had been co-workers with her at Lehigh as many as 20 years ago came back to honor her and celebrate her retirement with her. The Career Services team misses her friendly smile and warmth.” Marge plans to continue enjoying friends and life in retirement.

Roland K. YoshidaEducation & Human Services Roland Yoshida earned his doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in Educational Psychology and Exceptional Children from the University of Southern California. While at Lehigh, Ron served as Dean of the College of Education, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Senior Vice President for External Relations and Campus Life and Provost Emeritus, and Professor. In 2012, Ron received the Hillman Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Advising. He served on the faculty at Queen’s College/CUNY, Fordham University, and the U.S. Department of Education prior to coming to Lehigh. Ron is a fellow of the American Psychological Association. He and his wife, Sharon, reside in Bethlehem. He plans to continue his school accreditation work in the Middle East.